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TIFF

[Remember This?] When ‘Livide’ Was Supposed To Come Out?

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on February 05, 2013 @ 3:00pm
Category: Movies / Editorials

September 2011. Two months after I started working here at Bloody-Disgusting, I found myself pulling news duty while Mr. Disgusting was reporting in from TIFF. I wasn’t very familiar with the way the festival worked at the time and had no idea that its Midnight Madness section was such a traditionally fertile ground to introduce great new horror films to the marketplace.

One film that had a lot of heat going into the fest – and not necessarily a lot of heat coming out – was Livide (now Livid) from Inside directors Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo. Their gory debut film had people primed for another bloodbath, but what they got was something much, much different.

From Mr. Disgusting’s (quite positive) review, “Livid is not going to make fans of Inside happy. In fact, I expect most of you to despise it with pure venom. But I implore you all to manage your expectations, shift your thinking, and go in with a clear mind. My hope is that you’ll find a place in your heart for this moody art house horror pic, one that’s sure to be trashed across the board.”

More inside… READ MORE

‘The Lords of Salem’ Trailer Is Finally Here!!!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on October 03, 2012 @ 6:20pm
Category: Movies / Trailers

After premiering at the Midnight Madness portion of TIFF, Anchor Bay Films emerged as the new home for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem. Under the agreement, Anchor Bay will handle all U.S. distribution rights on the film. The first trailer premiered this afternoon. Check it out below and tell us what you think!

Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses, Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love).

“Rock star-turned-horror maven Rob Zombie conjures up a nerve-wracking chiller involving Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ, who receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, “a gift from the Lords.” She assumes it’s from a band trying to promote themselves. Heidi and others listen but unbeknownst to them, the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”

Check out my review with Mike’s alternate opinion here. READ MORE

[TIFF '12 Review] Brad Is Blown Away By Most Of ‘Dredd 3D’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 21, 2012 @ 2:42pm
Category: Movies / News

Writer Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Sunshine) and director Pete Travis (Vantage Point) bring Dredd back to life as a futuristic neo-noir action film that is pretty d*mn hardcore. The film screened last night at TIFF so we figure it’s time to feature our review.

The reviews have been mostly gushing, and Brad pretty much feels the same way (with some reservations about the film’s ending).

“Dredd is a supercharged comic adaptation that’s faithful to the source material and made specifically for the fans. There’s nothing to indicate an attempt to appeal to mass audiences, which means Dredd was made for YOU, which is a rare treat in the cinematic haze of remakes, franchise films and generic thrillers. Even with a lackluster finale, soak this magnificent work of art in and enjoy the hour and a half gift from the movie gods.

I loved the film too, for what it’s worth. Click here to read the review in its entirety, then check back after the film comes out to write your own.

[TIFF '12] Magnet Releasing Acquires Bizarre ‘Here Comes the Devil’

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 21, 2012 @ 12:05pm
Category: Movies / News

Magnet Releasing has snapped up North American rights to Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s Here Comes the Devil, a film I quite enjoyed out of the Toronto International Film Festival.

“On a family vacation, a couple’s son and daughter disappear while exploring a cave-riddled mountainside. The children eventually return home seemingly unharmed, but are withdrawn and devoid of emotion. The parents fear they have fallen prey to something inhuman — and that this dark evil has come home with them.”

Deal was announced Thursday night at Fantastic Fest at its U.S. premiere in Austin. Bogliano, producer Andrea Quiroz Hernandez and stars Francisco Barreiro and Lura Caro were on hand for the announcement, made by Fantastic Fest lead programmer Rodney Perkins. Variety reports. READ MORE

Exclusive

[TIFF '12 Interview] ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Stars Sheri Moon Zombie & Jeff Daniel Phillips

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 18, 2012 @ 6:47pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Whether it’s cast or crew, Writer/Director Rob Zombie loves to stick to a core group. Like Quentin Tarantino, he enjoys casting some long forgotten talent from the genre titles he grew up on and admired. Zombie cleverly goes against our expectations and previous experiences with a certain actor and uses him or her in a refreshingly unexpected way. His wife and muse, Sheri Moon Zombie is the one constant in every picture he has made. Her involvement in his work has always caused a stir among genre fans. This doesn’t seem to faze Zombie a bit since Sheri is lead in his latest, The Lords of Salem.

She plays local DJ Heidi Hawthorne. Along with her co-hosts Herman Whitey Salvador (Jeff Daniel Phillips) and Herman Jackson (Ken Foree), they play a mysterious vinyl on air by a band called The Lords which will soon put the town and its inhabitants on a collision course with its disturbing past.

At TIFF ’12, I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the film with actors Sheri and Jeff. READ MORE

[TIFF '12 Review] ‘The ABCs of Death’ Brings Mixed Results, Still A Must See!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 18, 2012 @ 11:04am
Category: Movies / News

One of the hardest films I’ve ever had to review was The ABCs of Death, the 26-part anthology that premiered this past Friday at the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival. The most difficult aspect of the review is the final score, which I wholly don’t believe is representational of what it is. The fact of the matter is, even though it delivers mixed results, it’s an absolute must see, especially with a group of devilish friends. The ABCs of Death carries some of the best horror you’ll see this year.

“The concept behind ABCs is brilliant: 26 directors were each given $5,000 and had to deliver a short film about death. The result is an eclectic variety of horror that range from sex-fueled murder to rape revenge.

“I’d suggest you ignore the below rating (it’s undeniably misleading) and focus on creating some sort of party atmosphere to watch ABCs of Death. The only thing that can kick-start some energy into this anthology is you, and a group of screaming and laughing friends. There’s plenty here worth seeing.”

Click here to read the review in its entirety. READ MORE

Exclusive

[TIFF '12 Interview] ‘No One Lives’ Director Ryuhei Kitamura

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 17, 2012 @ 7:41pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

When the WWE Films logo appears before a film, I keep my expectations in check. While I’ll admit that the Kane vehicle, See No Evil is in my guilty pleasure list, the majority I’ve seen are straight-to-video fare at its laziest. Like most DTV, they’re an attempt to cash in on whatever the fad may be at the moment and hope that fans looking for a quick fix won’t mind. From the offset, No One Lives (review) comes across as just that. The attempt at “clever” dialogue is consistently laughable but once the film is suddenly steered in a different direction at the end of the first act, my attention was grabbed. For the remainder of its duration, No One Lives is a creatively violent, trashy ride in the way the Friday the 13th movies are. If you watch it for what it is, fun will be had.

The skillful directing of Ryuhei Kitamura (Midnight Meat Train, Versus) is the main reason why I ignored the film’s obvious issues. I had the pleasure of chatting with him at TIFF ’12, where the film was getting its premiere. I asked him what drew him to the script. “I started reading it. First I felt; oh okay, No One Lives, everybody dies. Girl running in the woods, a couple of gangsters, okay another torture porn kind of movie which I love to watch but didn’t want to do myself. Then there’s a twist and turn in the script and I simply felt: wow this is a non-stop ride and it’s a fun popcorn project which was very different from the movie I did, Midnight Meat Train. That was much more twisted and a philosophical. So this was to me a fun, straightforward genre movie almost like the movies from the 80’s.” READ MORE

[TIFF '12] Anchor Bay Acquires Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords of Salem’

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 16, 2012 @ 3:54pm
Category: Movies / News

After much speculation and a heated bidding war, Anchor Bay Films emerged as the new home for Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem. Under the agreement, Anchor Bay will handle all U.S. distribution rights on the film. Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (Halloween) as well as Bruce Davison (X-Men), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Halloween 2), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Judy Geeson (To Sir, With Love). The film premiered last week at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and received rave reviews from mainstream and genre critics alike.

“I have always been a fan of the care and respect Anchor Bay has put into their genre titles,” said Zombie. “”

The Los Angeles Times dubbed The Lords of Salem “his darkest most unnerving yet,” IndieWire declared it “Rob Zombie’s best film” and Dread Central said “fans couldn’t stop talking about the film” after its premiere in Toronto.

Rock star-turned-horror maven Rob Zombie conjures up a nerve-wracking chiller involving Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ, who receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, “a gift from the Lords.” She assumes it’s from a band trying to promote themselves. Heidi and others listen but unbeknownst to them, the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?

[TIFF '12 Review] Brad Admires The Ambition Of ‘Hellbenders’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 15, 2012 @ 3:56pm
Category: Movies / News

I love good horror comedies so I was incredibly stoked when I saw the first, really cool looking, stills from JT Petty’s Hellbenders. The film premiered during the Midnight Madness portion of TIFF this past week, and I’m hoping I like it a bit more than Brad (Mr Disgusting) when I finally see it. It’s not that he didn’t like the film, he just didn’t really think it stuck the landing.

“‘Hellbenders’ is highly ambitious filmmaking that works just enough to make it worth a view. There are quite a few gut busting laughs, creative scares, and even more gore for the horror junkie. Unfortunately, it just runs out of steam by the finale.”

Click here to read the review in its entirety. The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th.

[TIFF '12 Review] Style Is Substance In Rob Zombie’s ‘The Lords Of Salem’

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 15, 2012 @ 6:46am
Category: Movies / Reviews

Before starting this review, I’m going to come out and say it; I’m a Rob Zombie fan. Whether it be his albums, films or comic book ventures; you name it, I got it. Ever since I saw White Zombie open up for Anthrax back in 1993, I was immediately hooked. The incorporation of all things horror into his art appealed to the kid in me. This wasn’t a novel approach by any stretch. Alice Cooper had perfected this ages ago. Zombie and his world of ghouls and monsters entered my life in my late teens where this sort of stuff really makes an impression on you. Growing up, Cooper’s peak had passed me by before I could ever fully embrace it like I do now. It’s clearly evident that Alice had that same effect on Zombie. I can’t think of a more fitting artist to carry the torch.

Since he took on film in 2003 with his debut House of 1000 Corpses, Rob Zombie has become the most polarizing figure in horror today. His filmography (minus The Devil’s Rejects) has been endlessly argued about back and forth. The most heated discussions I’ve ever had about film have almost always included Zombie’s contributions to the cinema. I think a lot of this stems from the undeniable boldness of his vision. Regardless of what one may think about his work, a Rob Zombie film is exactly that. He may had to compromise to some extent with his notorious Halloween films but there’s no confusing that aesthetic with anyone else’s. With his latest, The Lords of Salem, Zombie was given the creative control to do whatever he pleased. From the opening frame to the very last, it’s apparent that Zombie has got away with murder. There’s no way in hell any studio would let any filmmaker run this wild and make what’s essentially a 70’s-style European art-house horror flick. Dispose of any and all expectations. Nothing can quite prepare you for what’s in store. READ MORE

[TFF '12 Review] Mike Pereria Calls Barry Levinson’s Found Footage Thriller, ‘The Bay’ An “Admirable Miss”

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 14, 2012 @ 6:13pm
Category: Movies / News

Before it arrives in theaters November 2 from Roadside Attractions, Bloody Disgusting’s Mike Pereira caught the world premiere of Barry Levinson’s The Bay at the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival. The pic is a Found Footage thriller where a biological disaster is unleashed from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay causing a mass infection.

“One has to applaud Levinson for stepping out of his comfort zone… Unfortunately what brings the movie down is his novice approach at horror tactics such as jump scares and tension-building. While it may work on the average folk who have never seen a horror film in their life, it won’t fool a hardcore fan by a long shot.

“The Bay is an admirable but ultimately dull thriller.”

Click here for the entire review and watch for more leading up to its theatrical release.

[TIFF '12] Cinedigm Entertainment Group Acquires ‘Come Out and Play’ For Theatrical, Home Video

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 14, 2012 @ 10:14am
Category: Movies / News

Having premiered at the Midnight Madness portion of TIFF is Makinov’s Come Out and Play, a Mexican remake of the 1970s flick Who Can Kill A Child? that I thought was pretty good (although it could have used a bit more originality).

Cinedigm Entertainment Group acquired North American rights to Makinov’s flick starring Vinessa Shaw, Ebon Moss and Daniel Gimenez Cacho. Cinedigm, which made the announcement Friday, plans a theatrical release early next year followed by VOD, digital and DVD.

In the remake, “Beth and Francis vacation before the birth of their child. Francis insists on venturing to a more serene island, Beth hesitantly agrees. They set out to a beautiful island, but soon discover it’s mysteriously abandoned, and the only people on the island are children. Beth and Francis are left to uncover the mystery of the disappearances, and a day in paradise quickly turns into a struggle for survival.” READ MORE

[BD Review] Barry Levinson’s Found Footage Thriller, ‘The Bay’ Is An Admirable Miss

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 14, 2012 @ 6:32am
Category: Movies / Reviews

At the moment, the found-footage sub-genre is all the rage. No surprise there, considering audiences are still running in droves to see the Paranormal Activity films and most recently, The Devil Inside (much to our dismay). I have no issue with any novelty if it’s used effectively and creatively. The Paranormal Activity franchise, the REC series and V/H/S are great examples of when it works. Unlikely candidate, Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson (Rain Man) is the latest to jump on the bandwagon with the eco-thriller, The Bay.

The film revolves around a small seaside town that becomes terrorized by a nasty mutant breed of parasites. What makes the film stand apart from the crowd is its mock documentary-style approach. The story is told via multiple video sources including Skype, surveillance video, news footage, smart phones and police cams. Audio sources such as 911 calls and recorded phone conversations are also utilized. The sheer density of the film’s construction is my favourite aspect of The Bay. It’s been cleverly thought out and conceived. The biggest challenge facing filmmakers venturing in the found footage realm is how to convincingly justify why the characters are still holding onto their cameras. For the most part, The Bay is pretty convincing in this department. I never found myself distracted by a glaringly obvious logic gap.

Despite being presented in realistic manner, deep at its core, The Bay owes a great deal to 1950’s era sci-fi/horror pictures such as Them! There’s definitely an old-fashioned B-movie quality to the creatures. Issues begin to arise whenever the film tries its hand at scares. This is where Levinson’s inexperience in genre filmmaking is glaringly obvious. Every attempt at a scare is highlighted by a music cue and sound effect being amped up to eleven. The score is annoyingly present at almost every turn. It’s overbearing and cheaply manipulative especially during the “suspenseful” moments. These techniques ring false at every time. Mostly though, I never found myself invested in The Bay all that much. Dryness is one of the issues that can arise when presenting the material in such a documentary-like fashion and it plagues this movie all throughout. Characters aren’t particularly interesting and the story never really goes in any fresh or surprising direction.

One has to applaud Levinson for stepping out of his comfort zone. The Bay never comes across as a half-baked effort. His use of technology to tell the story, as well as themes dealing with our deteriorating environment will likely strike a chord with many. There seems to be a genuine attempt to breathe new life in the gimmicky world of found footage cinema. Unfortunately what brings the movie down is his novice approach at horror tactics such as jump scares and tension-building. While it may work on the average folk who have never seen a horror film in their life, it won’t fool a hardcore fan by a long shot. The Bay is an admirable but ultimately dull thriller.

P.S. Considering its uncinematic aesthetic, I think this film may actually play more effectively on the small screen. Might be an experiment worth revisiting.

[BD Review] ‘Hellbenders 3D’ Highly Ambitious, Fun Horror

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 13, 2012 @ 10:32am
Category: Movies / Reviews

Burrowers director JT Petty returns to Midnight Madness with Hellbenders, a truly entertaining horror comedy that may have been a bit too ambitious. While filled with laughs, and some incredible creature effects, ultimately it’s a bit fragmented from what feels like budgetary constraints.

The first act of Hellbenders is incredibly strong as Petty introduces the viewer to the motley crew of modern exorcists. In short, this collection of men and women are supposed to sin as much as possible in order to deliver demons back to hell. The idea is that if they get possessed, they can commit suicide and drag the demons down to Hell with them. Hence, the audience is blasted with profanity as they watch an array of disturbing acts and consistent verbal abuse. Watching a bunch of ordained priests act like jerks in absolutely hilarious, but what makes this work is that the audience knows they’re “good people” at heart. Likability is extremely important it making Hellbenders an entertaining flick. Clancy Brown reunites with Petty and delivers quite a standout performance as the drunken leader. Unfortunately, Dan Fogler – who I absolutely love – was underused, and barely even had a reason to be in the film.

Once acclimated to the group, a few of them are sent off to handle a new case, one that ends in disaster. This is the pinnacle of Hellbenders as it taps into to the vein of The Evil Dead and Ghostbusters with its sound design, humor, scares, and FX work. It’s a haunting moment that sets the bar so high that the rest of the film struggles to reach the same level.

From here on out much of the second act is muddled with exposition and a subplot where the new Pope has shut down their division. The final moments, while enjoyable, felt the choking sensation of budgetary constraints. The audience is teased that the gates of Hell are to be opened, but by the time the gang arrives, all of the chaos has already erupted; it’s a bit frustrating, as the viewer deserves to see the madness occur.

Hellbenders is highly ambitious filmmaking that works just enough to make it worth a view. There are quite a few gut busting laughs, creative scares, and even more gore for the horror junkie. Unfortunately, it just runs out of steam by the finale.

[BD Review] ‘The ABCs of Death’ A Short Film Festival With Mixed Results

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 13, 2012 @ 10:25am
Category: Movies / Reviews

Having been to dozens of film festival shorts programs I know just how excruciating they can be. This was my only reservation heading into Magnet’s The ABCs of Death, which premiered at the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival. When the 2+hour “event” concluded, that’s when my brain really started to hurt. How the hell do I review this? Do I review it based on the overall experience, the ratio of good to bad shorts, or do I review each short individually? Ultimately, I feel that since it’s presented as a film experience, it should be reviewed as one.

The concept behind ABCs is brilliant: 26 directors were each given $5,000 (according to “Q is for Quack”) and had to deliver a short film about death. The result is an eclectic variety of horror that range from sex-fueled murder to rape revenge. It may sound delectable, but it’s not. It’s hard to know exactly where the problem festers, but I’d like to speculate that it was the intense creative freedom given to the directors. The overall problem is a lack of cohesion, meaning, there’s nothing to connect all of the shorts.* I wonder what kind of small guidelines may have been implemented that would have strung all 26 shorts together a little bit? I don’t blame the producers at Drafthouse (as the idea is brilliant), but nobody could have speculated what the final result of the experiment would feel like… It was tedious.

Part of the problem is that, like any other shorts program, a lot of the shorts weren’t very good. Furthermore, nobody could have guessed that most of the directors would take a dark and/or artistic path. The few comedic moments presented such a wonderful breath of fresh air in a 2-hour project jam-packed with intense depression. It’s even more frustrating that the producers were able to land such high caliber directors who mostly took the perspective of a film student – meaning, instead of really showing what they could do with $5k, they did only what they could with $5k (the bare minimum). That’s not much to work with, and the challenge is great, but the competition was fierce. Wouldn’t you want to show up the other directors? And while a few of the shorts went big, they still managed to bore; albeit, it’s HARD to tell a compelling story, without shocks, in under 5 minutes.

Even through the film’s best shorts – directed by Marcel Sarmiento, Timo Tjahjanto, Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, Jason Eisner and Ben Wheatley – the project just felt overtly long and fragmented. The problem reviewing such a film is that, while some of the shorts warranted a perfect score, others deserved much less. How to you fairly grade the entirety of a project that’s a quarter brilliant, a quarter OK, and half incredibly weak? I’d suggest you ignore the below rating (it’s undeniably misleading) and focus on creating some sort of party atmosphere to watch ABCs of Death. The only thing that can kick-start some energy into this anthology is you, and a group of screaming and laughing friends. There’s plenty here worth seeing.

*Editor’s Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I produced V/H/S, another anthology released by Magnet. My opinions may be construed as biased.

[TIFF '12] Festival Trailer For Tropical Island Horror ‘Come Out and Play’!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 12, 2012 @ 10:17pm
Category: Movies / Trailers

Premiering tomorrow night at the Midnight Madness portion of the film festival is Makinov’s Come Out and Play, a Mexican remake of the 1970s flick Who Can Kill A Child? that I thought was pretty good (although it could have used a bit more originality).

Gearing up for the festival run, we were supplied with the first trailer for the film starring Vinessa Shaw, Ebon Moss and Daniel Gimenez Cacho.

[TIFF '12 Review] The Shocking, Brutal And Beautiful ‘Sightseers’ Ultimately Fizzles

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 12, 2012 @ 4:12pm
Category: Movies / News

Kill List was one of last year’s best horror movies and earned its director, Ben Wheatley, a must-see status from me in regard to checking out his future films. His followup, Sightseers, premiered during the Vanguard portion of TIFF this week and Brad (Mr. Disgusting) writes in with the review. I agree with him in some regards, though overall I think I liked the film a bit more.

“Sightseers is Wheatley’s version of ‘Natural Born Killers’ or ‘God Bless America’, only instead of taking on the media and pop culture, he focuses on the elitist and self-absorbed attitudes of today’s youth… the message doesn’t have much impact post the initial kill. Sightseers may be worth a glance, but it’s not a place you’d visit again”

Click here to read the review in its entirety. The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th.

[TIFF '12] Tail Tale ‘Thale’ Takes XLrator To Screens

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 12, 2012 @ 12:30pm
Category: Movies / News

Playing at TIFF this year is Thale, Aleksander Nordaas’ Norwegian horror film. In it, “Two crimes scene cleaners discover a mythical tailed, female creature in a concealed cellar. She never utters a word, unable to tell her tale herself, but the pieces of the puzzle soon come together; she’s been held captive for decades for reasons soon to surface. Someone is approaching from outside. They want her back.”

And now XLrator Media has acquired all U.S. rights to the Norwegian supernatural thriller. The deal was announced today by the filmmakers and Barry Gordon, CEO of XLrator Media, which will release the film in early 2013

Click here for the review. The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. READ MORE

[TIFF '12 Review] Brad Thinks ‘Here Comes The Devil’ Is A Fun Blast In Need Of More Skill

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 12, 2012 @ 11:16am
Category: Movies / News

Penumbra and Cold Sweat director Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil premiered during the ~~Midnight Madness portion of~~ TIFF this week and Brad (Mr. Disgusting) found a lot to like – even if some of the technical aspects of the film aren’t up to par.

“There are intense sexual situations, coming-of-age themes, insane supernatural jolts, and quite a few gory moments; it’s got a little bit of everything for the hardcore horror nut… The end lacks any sort of real punch but still manages to be slightly poetic. It’s hardly the way one would want a movie to end, but it’s hard to knock a film for wrapping it up so cleanly. And while Bogliano is getting better as a filmmaker, it’s highly advised that he attend some sort of filmmaker seminar or class to learn how to add some production value to his gritty, student perspective.”

Click here to read the review in its entirety. The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th.

‘Paranormal Movie’ With Kevin Farley? Not So Sure About This One…

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 11, 2012 @ 4:32pm
Category: Movies / News

Kevin Farley directed and stars in Paranormal Movie. Other cast members include Eric Roberts, Tom Sizemore, Carly Craig, William Katt, Nicky Whelan and Maria Menunos. Per Screen Daily, Edward Noeltner’s Cinema Management Group has commenced talks with Toronto buyers. The film was written by Lisa Baget.

I’d like you to consider this quote from Kevin Farley, “I learned a lot from ‘An American Carol’. The one thing I know is that parody is good if it’s done right. Having done this type of film with David, it’s amazing to learn from the best and then make your own, and this film is homage to the Zucker Brothers style.”

You must understand that An American Carol is one of the least funny movies ever made, so anything he learned on that set is bound not to help. I haven’t seen Paranormal Movie, but I’m fairly convinced it’s just a bunch of fart jokes rolled into a shaky-cam. I pray to the heavens above that Brad reviews this and not me.

Think I’m joking? Head inside for a (tiny) look at the poster. That’s the kind of humor we might be talking here. READ MORE

[TIFF '12] IFC Bites Into ‘Byzantium’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 11, 2012 @ 3:51pm
Category: Movies / News

Neil Jordan’s Byzantium, a vampire film starring Gemma Arterton, Sam Riley and Saoirse Ronan premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this week and IFC has made it their first official pick-up fo the fest, paying something close to $2M for the rights.

Per THR, “Sources say it was IFC’s $2 million offer that drew blood.Heading into Toronto, ‘Byzantium’ was on every buyer’s list, both small and large. However, bigger distributors passed on the film, which is receiving mixed reviews. Also, no one was sure how commerical Byzantium would be, considering Jordan’s arthouse pedigree.”

In the film, “Two mysterious women seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. Clara meets lonely Noel, who provides shelter in his deserted guesthouse, Byzantium. Schoolgirl Eleanor befriends Frank and tells him their lethal secret. They were born 200 years ago and survive on human blood. As knowledge of their secret spreads, their past catches up on them with deathly consequence.”

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2012. READ MORE

[TIFF '12] Watch Rob Zombie Talk About ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Last Night

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 11, 2012 @ 12:54pm
Category: Movies / Videos

Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem had its world premiere at TIFF last night. And now we have two videos for you to check out. The first has Rob & Sheri talking about the film on the red carpet, and the second features an 18-minute pre-film Q&A conducted by Colin Geddes.

In the film, “Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?”

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th. Head inside for the interviews. READ MORE

[TIFF '12 Review] Brad Thinks ‘The Lords Of Salem’ Is A Huge Letdown Despite Striking Imagery

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on September 11, 2012 @ 11:47am
Category: Movies / News

I’m hoping I feel differently about this one. Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem premiered last night to a ravenous sold-out crowd during the Midnight Madness portion of TIFF. And Brad (Mr. Disgusting) – who had high hopes – was pretty disappointed.

“It would be easy to give Lords a pass. It has genuinely creepy imagery, cool scares, super crazy sound design, and even more mind blowing set designs. But there will be no pass, mainly because of the awkwardly unfulfilling ending and the fact that much of the “cool” doesn’t interact with the characters or plot. Rob Zombie sympathizers are going to eat this up, and will spend their night analyzing the finale as if it were some revelation of brilliance. It’s not”

Click here to read the review in its entirety. And – silver lining – let it be known that BD Stringer Mike Pereira really liked the film and will be writing in with his review soon. The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6th-16th.

[BD Review] Tropical Island Horror ‘Come Out and Play’ Brings The Intensity

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on September 11, 2012 @ 11:47am
Category: Movies / Reviews

If a film is to be remade, it should at least have a unique, new, modern spin that qualifies the decision to revisit the property. Making a nearly scene-by-scene reenactment doesn’t make any sense, especially when it didn’t work the first time around. Such the case with Come Out and Play, the remake of the Spanish 1976 Who Can Kill A Child?. The original is deeply flawed, and could have used a boost by a visionary filmmaker; unfortunately it got “Makinov.”

The Mexican remake, with English speaking leads, follows a couple (visiting Brazil during Carnival) that rent a boat and head to a serene tropical island for an intimate getaway. Upon arriving, they learn the island is near-deserted, sans a scatter of malevolent looking children. They slowly realize they’re in the middle of some bizarre event… the kids up and killed everyone on the island, and nobody stopped them because, who could kill a child? The duo is trapped and in the middle of the chaos, which plays out like a zombie flick.

Director Makinov basically follows the original step for step, sans a small twist involving the pregnant protagonist and her baby. The idea is really, really cool, and most of the film is incredibly unnerving, but Makinov does nothing to progress the story in a new/better director. If anything, it feels a little trite. Even the “shocker” of an ending is dull, having been done so many times before.

The movie’s strengths come in its intense graphic content (watching dozens of kids stab an old man to death, and then drop a rock on his head, is pretty intense) and astounding production locations. The audience will literally feel like they’re on the beaches, something that adds a massive amount of believability to the film. There are strong performances by the lead couple, not to mention the rash of evil children (anyone who works in film can tell you how hard it is to work with, and get quality work out of them).

While the remake doesn’t progress the story in any positive direction, it’s still pretty good and something easily recommend. If anything, Come Out and Play is generic to the core, a cut and paste horror thriller that still manages to deliver on both production value and intensity. And while most of the remake is a slow burn, the finale will have most viewers on the edge of their seat in absolute shock. Could you kill a child?